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Review of Books Read in 2017

I recently read “Mind Hacking” by Sir John Hargrave. I enjoyed this look at changing the mind from the viewpoint of a computer programmer with proven “geek” cred. Throughout the book there are mind experiments that virtually gamify mental change. In the spirit of open source and collaboration, the author provides the book free online as well as for purchase. There are links to both at www.gitbook.com/book/jhargrave/mind-hacking/details, plus a free app.

The hacking process includes:

Analyzing – We can change our mental loops. This section of the book is about becoming more aware of where the attention is, eliminating distractions, and retraining attention with meditation.

Imagining – This section talks about thought experiments and exploring the mind to expand what is possible. “Imagination is hard mental work” but everything that is created is imagined first.

Reprogramming – The author talks about the power of writing things down (“Until it’s on paper, it’s vapor”), and how mental simulations (aka vizualizations) can help athletes improve performance. He describes agile development, where a minimum viable product is released and then improved upon. He suggests using LASER subgoals that are: Limited, Achievable, Specific, Evaluated, and Repeatable for improved focus.

My favorite fiction book this year was by far “Last Days of Night” by Graham Moore. Set in the days of the discovery of electricity, and based on fact, this is the story of the competition between Westinghouse and Edison to be the dominant force. I found it fascinating!